Mail Art from Jessica Gowling

Jessica was super quick in replying to my last package to her, however I have not been super quick in blogging about her lovely package (or in putting together a reply for that matter!). The envelope included a typed note, postcards, stickers and some sand and a seashell from a recent holiday. Unfortunately the shell didn't survive the trip, but everything else did! I am especially fond of the deer postcard and the blue patterned circle (which is actually a round playing card, very cool!). 

ps. If you haven't checked out Jessica's Etsy shop 'Nature's My Friend' lately go have a look. She's been on a major makeover mission and has come up with something pretty special. Wonderful photos that complement her products and make a clear statement about her 'brand' - an inspiration to any of us selling online, I think!

Mail Art from Saylor Made

Running a little bit behind with my mail art posts... Here's a wonderful reply I received from Jeannine of Saylor Made a little while ago. She always puts together such thoughtful packages. I especially loved the two handmade mini envelopes - isn't the origami paper just gorgeous? The camera watercolour is fantastic too; I love the juxtaposition of man made and organic, of precise and random.

(ps. Notice the Korean masking tape on the envelope in the photo above? That's because it was opened! I wander what Mr Postman and/or Mrs Customs Official thought of it all?)

In other news - I'm planning some time to work on this months 'Collecting Colour' collection tomorrow. The theme is white which I'm finding a little intimidating! I've got a few ideas as to how to tackle it, so we'll see how it all goes. Will you be playing along this month?

Mail Art to Jessica Gowling

About the same time I put this package together I also sent off some snail mail to Jessica Gowling from Nature's My Friend. I have already received a lightening quick reply from her, so I'm playing a bit of catch up with this post! 

The package I put together was meant to be a little burst of yellow sunshine. It included: an 'Aloha' notecard, a map notecard, a postcard of this photo, stamps, stickers and various ephemera including a clipping of a tropical fish and a mountain lion swap card.

ps. If you haven't seen Jessica's gorgeous nature inspired work before you should absolutely have a look at her latest graphite drawings of 'antlered animals' - wonderful stuff!

Mail Art to Saylor Made

I've been a bit neglectful of my beloved snail mail of late.  I've been wanting to put some mail art packages together over the past few months but life has just kept getting in the way (and will be getting in the way even more so over the next two weeks - more on that another time).  Anyway, last month I finally found the time and inspiration to finish some mail art replies and I've just found out they're arrived safe and sound - hurrah!  

This is a package I put together for Saylor Made, whose Limited Edition Sketchbook posts I've been enjoying of late (do go have a look - there's wonderful hand lettering, beautiful patterns and watercolours, and a touching poignancy in the subject matter).  Her last package to me featured two skunks 'hugging' on the envelope, so when I saw the photo of two fishes 'kissing' I though it would make a perfect reply!

The package was loosely based around things that I find slightly absurd or quirky.  It featured various paper ephemera, a 'Hello' goldfish card, dog stickers, a blue fluffy pom pom, and a postcard made from this photo.

Mail art to Kimi Kobashi

Quite some time ago I sent my second ever mail art package out to the gorgeous Kimi and now I am finally blogging about it!  I had emailed Kimi beforehand to get some ideas as to what she might like, and the result was a package that combined three themes - femininity, fashion and Seoul life.

I included a fair few magazine clippings (including some from the rather whacky Cracker Your Wardrobe), some postcards and gift tags made from a gorgeous page I found in Paper magazine, and three little envelopes with various bits of Korean-ness in them (including scraps of beautiful handmade Korean paper).  But my favourite thing to make and send was the accordian book which you can see in the top photo.

ps. If you want to see Kimi's ridiculously cute rabbit checking out the package I sent, have a look here.

Mail Art from Saylor Made (+ one minor panic attack)

Holy cow my mail box has been happy of late.  First there was the stack of handmade greeting cards, then two dresses that I can see myself living in all winter from lyptis, then a package from my Mum which included two bags of twisties, a great book and a cute doxie card.  And now a mail art reply from Saylor Made!  Hurrah!

My favourite part?  That would have to be the handmade envelope featuring two skunks 'hugging' (wonder what Mr Postman thought of that?).  Followed closely by the three mini envelopes, each with little treasures in side.  Consider the envelope-within-an-envelope idea 'borrowed', Ms Made!

On a completely unrelated topic, I'm writing this from the sterile confines of Incheon Airport, where I'm being tortured with muzak versions of 'Bridge Over Troubled Water' while waiting for my flight to Hong Kong.  

I'm about to embark on a somewhat crazy trip, which goes a little something like this: Seoul, Hong Kong, Melbourne, Geelong, Melbourne, Sydney, Jenolan Caves (near the Blue Mountains), Sydney, Melbourne, Seoul.  And in all that madness I'm going to be seeing the Nick Cave tibute concert; avoiding being gored by a rhino; celebrating my Dad's birthday; having an early xmas dinner where my family will meet some of my husband's family for the very first time ever (including, quite possibly, the husband's ex-wife); hosting a weekend away with us, our friends, my Mum, my Step-dad, my sister and nephews...all in 10 short days.  

Excuse me while I go and breath heavily in to a paper bag.

Mail art to Saylor Made

Last week I wrote about the lovely mail art package I received from Saylor Made.  Well, I now know my reply has made it to her safe and sound so I can show you now as well!  I sent her a package themed around blue, birds and maps - three things that I spy on her blog and in her art on a regular basis, so I hoped it was all to her taste.

The package included: some mini bunting I made from street maps of Hong Kong and Korea; a print of one of my favourite photos from our recent visit to Dubrovnik; some 'Jorpins' owl stickers; a cut out of a seagull from a Korean magazine (a Busan seagull, no less!); three notecards featuring bird pictures from an old 'Book of How'; plus a few other bits and bobs.  You can see more on Saylor Made's blog here.

Mail art from Saylor Made

Look!  This is the amazing mail art package I recently received from Saylor Made - isn't it all kinds of wonderful?  I really love the way all the bits hang together so nicely, and I especially like the gorgeous floaty fleeting watercolours.

She included: a 'bonjour note card (with a lovely note!); two gorgeous water colour prints; a magazine clipping of some wintery red berries in a hand drawn frame ('for the birds'); a print of some of her favourite stamps (love this, great idea that I just might pinch...); an etching of a maple leaf from her nature collection; googly eyes; my initials in fuzzy felt; and last but most definitely not least - a 'blarg' print, which I can very much relate too.  All encased in a handmade envelope of perfection:

I am itching to show you my reply, but I'll hold off until I know my package has been received.  To be continued...